Premenstrual Syndrome occurs right before the period and affects women mainly in their 30’s and 40’s. An array of symptoms can appear such as breast tenderness, irritability, moodiness, anxiety, depression, nausea, headaches, food cravings, bloating and insomnia. The cause of PMS is not quite clear in western medicine. It is thought that hormonal fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone are believed to be the cause of such symptoms.

In eastern medicine, the cause of PMS is defined through organ pathology. As western medicine does not see a relationship to stress and PMS, there is a clear relationship in Chinese Medicine. The liver organ in Chinese Medicine is one of the predominant organs that is looked at when diagnosing PMS. The liver functions to properly transport energy and blood flow in the body. Its energy expands and flows outward. The liver is responsible for goals and achievements; it is task driven and loves control.

The emotion that is linked to the liver is anger. Therefore, when a female is stressed out or frustrated, this lack of control in her life creates energetic blockages in the body that result in PMS. This is why PMS primarily affects women in their 30’s and 40’s, when stress is higher compared to in their younger years.

While understanding the mechanisms behind PMS, it is important to find solutions to help create that balance so your PMS symptoms disappear.

Living PMS Free!

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is remarkable for treating PMS. One of the main treatments that is used is a combination of acupuncture points called the Four Gates. These points help open and increase liver energy and blood flow. After the treatment, as this flow is restored, you will feel calm because your system has been rebalanced.

Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine alleviates PMS symptoms by re-balancing hormone levels. Herbal prescriptions are modified to target the different body imbalances for each individual woman in order to treat the root cause of her PMS symptoms. The beauty of herbs is that they are modified for each individual case. Some women experience bloating, breast tenderness and irritability, while others may get insomnia, headaches and anxiety.

Have A Hobby That You Love
This is very important and often is overlooked. With busy schedules and a multitude of tasks, we never are at rest. Hobbies let our bodies go into parasympathetic mode of rest and digestion, which is an extremely important aspect to our health. Hobbies enable us to get into that mental “zone” where we are in the moment. Start writing down things that you love. You may want to take an art class or learn another language or find a partner with whom to play tennis. Start putting time and energy into these hobbies and create more of a flow in your life.

Tone Down Your “Driver”
Let’s face it, we live in New York City and we are drivers! We want and need to meet our goals and we love to be in control! It’s important to understand that we can’t do it all, so try and prioritize your life and learn to “let go”. Give yourself space to not have control or provide solutions for when things do not always go your way.

Create Mental Space on a Daily Basis
What I hear most the time is, “I am always on the go”, “there is too much to do at work so I can’t take a lunch break”, “I never have time.” Sound like you? This calls for “mental space” creation in your life. Just like you schedule tasks for your family, career and house, make room for “mental space” every day. This is the time for you to calm down and relax. Speak to those around you so that you can create those healthy boundaries where they can help support you during that time of day.

If you want more information or have specific questions, please call our office at 917.763.8560 to schedule a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation.